The Execution: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (Breakbattle Academy Book 3)

by Ruby Vincent

  “The hell?!” I cried. “What is that smell?!”

  Adam clapped his hand over his nose. “Shit!”

  “It’s worse than shit!”

  I heard gagging and then thundering footsteps from above. They had the right idea. Adam and I ran out of there and didn’t stop until we escaped out of the main building.

  Doubled over, Adam clutched his knees as he sucked in lungfuls of fresh air.

  “What was that?” I asked. “Did a sewer line burst or something?”

  He shook his head. “Didn’t you see it, Zee?”

  “See what?”

  “The upside-down A on the hallway door.”

  I stopped retching.

  For All did this?

  BASKETBALL CLASS WAS canceled. Every student from both campuses was evacuated and ordered to stay in the cafeteria while the staff assessed the situation. We whispered amongst ourselves under Argyle’s watchful eye.

  “Why would Cameron do that?” Adam whispered. “You think there’s a reason he wants us out of the dorm?”

  “He and all of his friends are sitting over there. If he wanted us out, he’s not taking advantage of the opportunity by being stuck here with us.”

  “Cameron has to have a reason. He has a reason for everything he does.”

  I studied the handsome boy as he messed with his phone. It’s true. Cameron did always have a reason.

  “Attention, students.” Whittaker marched inside flanked by two custodians. All three of them were wearing face masks. “I apologize for the disruption to your day. The source of the smell was determined to be a bunch of aptly placed stink bombs on the first, second, and third floors of the dorm building.

  “It will take time to make sure all of them have been removed and then for the... stink... to dissipate. Until then, it’s uninhabitable.”

  “Where are we supposed to sleep?” A D student down in front asked.

  “It’s simple. The fourth through sixth floor were spared, so for tonight, students will have to double or triple up.”

  “Triple?”

  “Yes. The As will move up to the E dorms. The Bs will move to the A dorms. The Cs will sleep in the B dorms, and the Ds and Fs will gather their things and sleep in the dining room.”

  A chorus of groans followed that statement, loudest of all from the two classes that would be sleeping on the hard, sticky floor.

  “I will hear no complaints about this,” Whittaker snapped. “This was another prank perpetrated by the self-named For All. You may blame him.”

  “I will blame Cameron,” Adam bit out. “What is he trying to pull?”

  I looked at Cameron. His face was twisted up in annoyance as he said something to his friends. Slowly, I shook my head.

  “Nothing,” I said. “Cameron isn’t pulling anything, Adam. He’s not For All.”

  “HOW CAN HE NOT BE BEHIND this?”

  Adam and I laid out our comforters. More had been brought in from storage to make our stay in the dining room comfortable, but I had a feeling it would still be a rough night.

  “It doesn’t make sense,” I replied under my breath.

  “Derek was the one who messed with the contacts, changed the uniforms, and drugged Michael.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “He came up with the For All sign to make it look like a math nerd was behind it.”

  “Yes, and it was pretty clever.”

  “He admitted what he did and threw in your face that you could never prove it to Whittaker and Argyle.”

  “Yep.”

  Adam stared at me blankly. “But you’re saying he’s not For All.”

  “No, he is For All— Or he was For—” I waved my hands. “What I’m saying is that Cameron was behind everything that happened last year, but this year, it’s being done by a copycat.”

  “How do you know that?” he hissed as he stretched out on his makeshift bed.

  “Because of what you’ve said. Cameron does everything for a reason. Last year, his reasons were getting back at me, punishing the boys, and proving himself to the Network. This year, I know what Cameron is after and not only does stink bombs, tablets, and spoiled food not get him closer, it might actually harm his chances of getting what he wants.”

  Adam nodded slowly. “You mean the expansion.”

  “Yes. How can you sell people that this is the best way to run a school when an unknown saboteur is running around protesting the system? It doesn’t make sense any way you look at it for Cameron to waste his time doing these things. Especially when he loves this system. All signs point to the opposite for the new For All.”

  Adam grabbed the edge of my bed and pulled me closer. He glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “You’re about to tell me how you know New For All hates the system.”

  “You’re right, I am.” I held up a finger. “The first prank with the spoiled food forced us into the gym eating pounds of takeout. The second prank gave us the tablets we were owed before Whittaker could find a way to ruin it. The third prank forced the hallowed Elite to open their floor to their lowly brethren. The lower classes got a taste of privilege when we got tablets and food delivered to us, and the Elites and As got to feel what it’s like to lose a privilege. That’s not a coincidence.”

  “Alright, I can see what you’re saying.” He flipped over and propped himself on his arms. “But if it’s not Cameron, who is it and how long are they going to keep this up? Forcing me to sleep on the floor isn’t going to bring down the system any time soon.”

  “That I don’t know, but at least we know it’s not directed at me or anyone in particular. We can sit back on this one and let the teachers handle it. It’s their job.”

  “Good point.” Adam dropped his head on the pillow. “Night, Zee.”

  He was out in minutes. I didn’t follow him into dreamland quite so quickly. I stayed up long past everyone else had fallen asleep.

  So much has happened this year and none of it went the way I planned. Landon, Michael, Cole, Derek. Things are so different now.

  But there is still something I have to do.

  WE WERE WOKEN UP EARLY the next morning to gather our beds and trudge back to the dorms. I stepped inside and took a tentative sniff. “No rancid milk and dog shit smell,” I called back to Adam. “Actually, they used so many air fresheners in here I can’t smell anything other than morning pine.”

  “I’ll take it.”

  We put our stuff away, changed, and returned to find the dining room back the way it was. With one difference, my table was packed with the recent additions to our group. I gazed at Landon, Michael, and Cole and thought of the events that brought us to where we are now.

  I’ve forgiven what most never would. I’ve risen above the challenges everyone thought would beat me. I’ve earned the trust of Derek Grayson—probably the hardest of all three of those things. I’ve come so far. That’s how I know this is what I have to do.

  I walked up to our table and kept walking.

  “Zee?”

  I heard Landon but didn’t acknowledge him. My eyes were fixed on one person.

  Zach halted mid-laugh when he laid eyes on me. His mouth froze wide open in a way that was almost comical.

  “What are you lost? Get out of here.”

  “Zachary Fields, I—”

  His lips twisted. “I’m not interested in what you have to say. Walk your ass back where you belong.”

  “—challenge you to a tournament.”

  Zach’s sneer vanished. He blinked at me slack-jawed. Around him, the Elite boys fell silent.

  “At the end of the semester,” I continued. “Your spot in the Elite Class for my spot as an F.”

  He flinched hearing the final letter.

  “Do you accept?”

  “You can’t just—”

  “I’m not interested in what you have to say,” I sang. “Not unless it’s ‘I accept the challenge.’”

  Zach snapped his mouth shut. His eyes burned into me
as the silence stretched.

  Rhys nudged him. “Dude, you don’t have a choice. The penalty for turning down a tournament is even worse than being knocked down a letter grade.”

  His friend’s warning only made him turn redder. “Fine,” he forced through gritted teeth. “I accept the challenge.”

  “Perfect. We can get it approved after school.” I turned my back to leave.

  “They’ll never approve this, F, and even if they do, you’ll never fucking win!” His voice got louder as I walked off without looking back. “You’ll never be Elite! You’ll—”

  The door slammed shut on his noise.

  “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL me?”

  I smoothed my blazer down and fixed my hair. I didn’t know why I was primping. Something about this made me feel like I needed to look presentable.

  “Because it took me a while to decide what I was going to do, Adam.” The two of us stood outside Dr. O’Quinn’s classroom waiting for her to return. The end of the day arrived and Zach would be down any minute to make the tournament official. This was it. “In the end, it came down to something that Jordan said. I should consider forgiveness if I thought the boys would never do it again and if they felt true remorse.

  “I feel that from Landon, Michael, and even Cole... but not Zach. I’ve left him alone but he’s gone out of his way to be a bastard. I bet it never crossed his mind that he did something wrong in the locker room. If it did, he didn’t care enough to apologize.

  “The only one who deserves to be punished more than him is Cameron and it’s past time I’ve struck back.” I pinned him with a look. “I don’t like violence but I’m happy to take from Zach what he’s wanted more than anything but never deserved. He’s out of the Elite.”

  “And Cameron?”

  I glanced away. “All in good time.”

  “Mr. Manning. Mr. Moon.” Dr. O’Quinn strode down the wing. “I hear you have caused another stir.”

  I didn’t have to guess. Her pride in me was obvious.

  “A bid for the Elite Class. I cannot say I’m surprised, but I am sad to see you go. It’s been a privilege to witness the wonders the battle system can achieve in a bright, hardworking pupil.” She smiled at Adam. “Are you challenging a student to a tournament as well?”

  “No,” I began. “He’s—”

  “Yes.”

  I whipped around. “Adam, what are you doing?”

  “I’m challenging Rhys Lewis to a tournament,” he stated. “That’s what I’m doing.”

  “But—”

  “Excellent.” Dr. O’Quinn gave him the fond pat she reserved for me. “I’m sure your mother will be glad to hear you’re moving up to the proper class.” She clapped. “Alright, boys. Let’s get these tournaments approved.”

  O’Quinn said it like it would be easy, but it was no surprise that it was not. Clancy flat out refused to approve it. At the start of the year when everyone thought I was an upstart nobody, she might not have been worried about us beating them, but Adam and I had collected so many wins against the As and Bs, she knew we were real competition. Her reasoning, she would not allow two excellent students to be shuffled off into the F Class.

  O’Quinn wasn’t one to take no for an answer and she marched all of us to Argyle’s office.

  “She cannot refuse on these grounds,” O’Quinn stated. “It is not in the spirit of this academy. Besides, if she fears her students will lose to mine, that is only proof they do not belong in the Elite Class.”

  Rhys flushed bright red. “They don’t belong in the Elite Class! They—”

  “I will handle this, Mr. Lewis,” Clancy cut in. “Vice Principal, I know our rules very well, but if they win, we’ll be forcing advanced students into classes we know are too easy for them. This is a matter of their education and I can’t sign off on students receiving one that is subpar.”

  O’Quinn’s eyebrow twitched. “You believe the teachers in the F Wing are subpar?”

  “For heaven’s sake, Julia. That is not what I said.”

  “It is exactly what you said.” O’Quinn pointed at me. “It’s been clear from day one that Mr. Manning and Mr. Moon would be better suited to advanced classes, but the administration was happy to let them remain in the F Class. Now, you are saying it is fit for them but not for anyone else?”

  Clancy’s cat-eye glasses wobbled on her nose as she trembled. “I am looking out for the best interest of my students,” she snapped. “Becoming an F would derail their futures.”

  “It did not derail theirs,” O’Quinn was quick to reply. “Mr. Moon has aced every class and rose to the top of the swim team despite his ‘subpar’ education. Mr. Manning became the president of Future Leaders, led the Archimedean team to victory, and tied for top grade point average. They worked hard to get where they are and if your students become Fs they have the same opportunity to do the same.”

  She faced Argyle. “The philosophy of this school is that we control our futures. If we want something, only we have the power and responsibility to make it happen. To reject these tournaments would say that we don’t believe in what we set out to build and, more than that, we don’t believe in our students.”

  Adam and I shared open-mouthed stares. I was blown away. I don’t think I could have said any part of that better myself.

  As the silence stretched, all eyes fixed on Argyle. “Thank you, Mrs. Clancy and Dr. O’Quinn, for sharing your arguments. I will consider both sides as I make my decision. If I grant in favor of the tournaments, I will do so without your approval if need be, Mrs. Clancy.”

  Clancy folded her arms. “If that happens, I will resign. I came to this school to nurture young minds. Not to see everything they work for taken away.”

  Argyle didn’t blink. “Whatever you decide to do is your choice.”

  It didn’t sound like a dismissal, but I knew it was one. We left, collecting sneers and hissed insults from Rhys and Zach as they shoved us out of the way. Clancy and O’Quinn pulled ahead, speaking in heated tones as they left us behind.

  “Adam?” I asked. “Why are you doing this? You don’t have to for me.”

  He laughed. “Do you imagine I want to be in the F Class without you? You’re the only thing that made it bearable.”

  A smile played at my lips. “Careful. Or I’m going to think I’ve earned your love.”

  “Seriously, Zee. I’m not into this ‘who is better than who’ bullshit and there’s nothing wrong with being an F, but we started this together from the day you sat next to me at the opening ceremony. We’re going to finish it together.”

  I didn’t reply. I couldn’t trust myself not to say something incredibly cheesy and tearful. Instead, I lifted his arm, put it around my shoulder, and burrowed into his side. I’d be lying if I said Adam hadn’t made all of this bearable for me too.

  The two of us stepped out of the administration building and found a few people waiting for us.

  “What happened?” Tanner, Nico, Justin, Cole, Michael, Landon, and Derek asked at the same time.

  Adam shook his head. “Argyle is deliberating. Don’t know when we’ll find out.”

  “Finals is in two weeks,” said Owen, “which means the tournament would have to be next week. You don’t have a lot of time to get ready.”

  “Also, hands off, Moon.” Landon plucked Adam’s arm off my shoulder and replaced it with his own.

  Adam shrugged. “It’ll be whatever it is.”

  Landon pressed his forehead to my temple. “Are you sure about this?”

  “It’s past time Zach got what was coming to him,” I said. “I said I was done getting revenge on you. I never said that about Zach. But that aside, I don’t want to lose sleep and run myself into the ground just to get into the library or go to dances. I don’t want that for anyone else either. There are things I can do as an Elite. I intend to do them.”

  “Any chance you’ll explain what you mean by that?”

  I kissed his jaw. “Eventually, I will, but u
ntil then, focus on how much easy access you’ll have when I have my own room right down the hall.”

  He hummed low in his throat and it rumbled through my body. “When you put it like that, I’ll get these tournaments approved myself.”

  Landon didn’t have to. Argyle approved the tournaments the following morning and Clancy announced her resignation shortly after. Thus began the most intense week of my life studying and training harder than I ever had before.

  The boys did not let up on me and little things like sleep did not sway them. Derek had me up early practicing basketball. Michael had me up even earlier racing around the track. After school, I wrestled with Landon, played soccer with Tanner, and swam with Adam and Cole. That left the scant amount of time I had at night to devote to studying.

  The sophomore Elites had all the same classes as me but everything was advanced. Advanced Chemistry, Advanced World History, Advanced Geometry, and Advanced English. The guys quizzed me on their subjects and when the first day of the tournament dawned, I was ready.

  Whittaker and Argyle stood before us looking more serious than I had ever seen them. We were in the dining room, but it was empty except for them, Dr. O’Quinn, Mrs. Clancy’s replacement, me, Adam, Rhys, and Zach.

  The four tournament participants sat at the head table under their watchful eyes.

  “Here is how it will work,” Whittaker announced. “You will be tested on every subject at the Elite level. Four days of academic testing, and on the fifth day you will participate in the physical tests. Your scores will be tabulated over the weekend, and if Mr. Manning and Mr. Moon are the winners, the tournament scores will be considered as their final grades needed to advance to the Elite Class. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “We’ll begin with the English test. After lunch, we’ll have the Critical Writing test.”

  Argyle stepped forward as if on cue and placed four test packets in front of us.

  “Pick up your pencils,” Whittaker said. “You may begin.”